Non-refillable bottle.



No. 872,644. PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907.

W. E. CAMPBELL 6; T. INGHRAM.

vl\T0l\T-REFILLABLB BOTTLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1907.

v nr. W

LAW P W avwzwfo'nd ME 6027 05622,

"l/Vi 1'" asses -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. CAMPBELL AND HOWARD T. INGHRAM, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed March 21. 1907. Serial No- 363.639.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM'E. CAMP- BELL and HOWARD T. INGHRAM, citizens of the .United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Non-Refillable Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to novel form of valve mechanism for use in connection with bottles and like receptacles, the said valve mechanism operating in an eifeotive manner to prevent the refilling of the bottle after the same has once been filled, without breaking or defacing the same in a manner which would be clearly apparent.

The object of the invention is to design a valve of this character which can be readily applied to the neck of the bottle after the latter has been filled, and which will be comparatively inexpensive in its construction.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the neck of a bottle provided with the valve attachment constituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 0czr of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the stopper. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the valve member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The invention is shown as applied to the usual form of bottle 1, the neck of which is provided toward its lower or inner portion with an internal annular shoulder or ledge 2 which in the present instance is shown as being approximately triangular in section. Fitting within the neck 0 the bottle and resting upon the ledge 2 is a tubular section 3, the opening through which receives the valve member 4 and is contracted at its inner end as seen at 5. formed of any suitable material such as rubber and is somewhat smaller than the opening through the section 3, the lower end of the said valve member being designed to normally rest upon the valve seat formed by the This valve 4 may be contracted portion 5, and thereby efiectively prevent any liquid from being forced into the interior of the bottle.

In the preferred construction of the invention the lower portion of the sides of the valve member 4 are inclined inwardly to correspond to the contracted portion 5 constituting the valve seat. In order to retain the valve member 4 within the tubular section 3 and prevent accidental dis lacement of the same a series of ears 6 are ormed at the upper portion of the section 3, the said ears projecting inwardly over the mouth of the opening therethrough and being designed to engage the top of the valve member for the pur- 4 pose specified.

The upper or outer end of the tubular section 3 has the central portion thereof raised as indicated at 7 so that in the present instance the outer end of the tubular section has an approximately conical formation. A plug 8 also fits within the neck of the bottle and bears against the tubular section 3, the inner end of theplug being formed with a depression corresponding to the raised portion 7 of the section 3. A pair of diametrically opposite channels 9 are formed in the sides of the plug 8, the inner ends of the said channels communicating with a transverse channel 10 formed in the base of the plug and extending over the opening through the tubular member 3. These channels form a passage whereby the contents of the bottle can be poured therefrom, but it will be read ily apparent that it will be impossible to tamper with the valve 4 by means of a wire or similar implement owing to the fact that the channels 9 are not in alinement with the o ening through the tubular section 3, and a so to the fact that the upper end of the said section 3 has a conical formation which is received within a similar depression in the base the said recess being preferably in the nature of an annular groove as indicated at 12.. In the specific construction of the catches 11 it will be observed that the same comprise approximately S shaped spring members havlng one of their arms rigidly secured to the plug, while the opposite arm has a spring action normally tending to force it outwardly in such a manner as to engage the groove 12.

It will thus be apparent that after the plug 8 has once been inserted in position within the neck of the bottle so that the catches 11 engage the groove 12, the said plug can not be Withdrawn without breaking the bottle and that any effort to force a liquid into the interior of the bottle will operate to firmly seat the valve 4 upon the contracted portion 5 of the passage through the tubular section 3. When the bottle is inverted however the valve 4 will move outwardly against the ears 6 and the contents of the bottle can flow around the said valve and enter one of the channels 9 leading to the mouth of the bottle.

If found desirable the portion of the neck below the ledge 2 may be formed with a frangible portion 13 so that it will be extremely difficult to apply any force to the neck of the bottle for the purpose of tampering with the valve without breaking the neck away from the body portion of the bottle. It may also be found desirable to form an annular groove in the tubular section 3, the said groove receiving a flexible washer 1 1- of rubber or similar material which operates to revent any liquid from being forced into the lnterior of the bottle-around the exterior of the tubular section 3. The mouth of the bottle is normally closed by a removable stopper 15 of rubber or other suitable material, a spring bar 16 being attached to the outer face of the stopper and provided at its extremities with hook members 17 designed to engage an annular rim 18 extending around the neck of the bottle. If found de sirable one of the hook members 17 may be formed with a suitable finger-piece for facilitating the removal of the stopper.

In the specific construction of the valve 4 the same is preferably in the nature of a hollow-cup shaped member and is provided at its upper portion with a rubber rim to prevent contraction of the same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a bottle, a tubular member arranged in the neck of the bottle, a valve operating within the tubular member, and ears carried by the tubular member to prevent displacement of the valve.

2. The combination of a bottle, a tubular member fitted Within the neck of the bottle, the opening through the tubular member having a contracted portion, a valve fitting loosely within the tubular member and nordisplacement of the valve, and a plug resting upon the tubular member and having the inner end thereof depressed to correspond to the raised outer end of the tubular member, the said plug being formed with a channel.

4. The combination of a bottle, a tubular member arranged within the neck of the bottle, the opening through the tubular member having theinner portion thereof contracted, a valve fitting loosely within the tubular member and normally resting upon the contracted portion at the inner end of the opening therethrough, ears carried by the tubular member and preventing displacement of the valve, the outer end of the tubular member having the -middle portion thereof raised, and a plug fitting against the tubular member and having the inner end thereof formed with a depression corresponding to the raised portion of the outer end of the tubular member, the said plug being formed with a channel.

5. The combination of a bottle, a tubular member fitting within the neck of the bottle, the outer end of the tubular member having a conical formation, a valve operating Within the tubular member, a plug fitting over the tubular member and having the lower end thereof formed with a depression to receive the conical upper end of the tubular member, the said plug being also provided upon its sides with longitudinal channels and upon its base with a transverse channel connecting the longitudinal channels and extending over the opening through the tubular member, and means for locking the plug within the neck of the bottle.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. CAMPBELL. [11. s] HOWARD l. INGHRAM. 3.] Witnesses:

N. B. REYEsTER, F. J. RAMsAY. 

